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As far as most Ontarians were concerned, they expected the 2011 provincial election to turf out the McGuinty Liberals — to be replaced by the Conservatives led by Tim Hudak.

That didn’t happen, as we all know. McGuinty pulled a rabbit from somewhere and won another term — one seat shy of a majority. Give him full marks for persistence and, if you like, a razzberry for Hudak who blew it.

Although he won an election he was expected to lose, a win is still a win. But McGuinty, realizing that the province was a mess with massive unpleasantness to come, gathered his marbles and quit. Not only that, he prorogued the legislature indefinitely until a successor was chosen.

Even his admirers (there are some) were aghast at his chutzpah.

Now his successor — Kathleen Wynne — looks as if she intends to pursue the McGuinty doctrine, such as it is, which means continued support for windmills while concentrating on building more natural gas plants.

Natural gas and hydro are the way to go, but the McGuinty obsession with so-called green energy has the government fixated on wind power, which is expensive and unreliable.

In his understated way, Lorrie Goldstein has remarked on “the sorry Liberal record of waste, recklessness, arrogance and hypocrisy on their so-called green energy file.” It’s pretty hard to find anyone who’d disagree with that assessment.

A case in point is Prince Edward County where those damned windmills are springing up everywhere, despite adamant and dynamic opposition from many residents that they don’t want — or need — the contraptions.

Whether or not the windmills are a health hazard is another matter. But what is indisputable is that the wishes of the people — the residents on whom windmills are inflicted — are either ignored or considered nuisances unworthy of attention.

Kathleen Wynne may be a competent person, but she’s still a McGuinty Liberal and does not deserve the trust of the province.

Since the last election, the one who has gained traction is the NDP’S Andrea Horwath. When the budget is announced in April, it’s possible the NDP will have to support the Conservatives in bringing down the Liberals.

And when Ms. Wynne says the people don’t want an election, she is merely voicing her own fears. It could be argued that people do want an election — they want this dogmatic and insensitive provincial government changed.

Last election, Tim Hudak rated high in the polls largely because he wasn’t doing much. Didn’t have to. The longer the campaign went on, the more disillusion set in.

Ever since, Hudak has been more upfront — issuing press releases on every topic imaginable, and not laying back in the weeds. He is what he is — a decent man, and of all political leaders, deserves a shot at running the province.

At least he’s not McGuinty. Nor is he Kathleen Wynne, whose charisma rating is non-existent.

Hudak might even do something about these windmills, which are the biggest boondoggle of our times, and have already cost the province more than can be afforded.

Liberal's rural popularity drops with every windmill

As far as most Ontarians were concerned, they expected the 2011 provincial election to turf out the McGuinty Liberals — to be replaced by the Conservatives led by Tim Hudak.

That didn’t happen, as we all know. McGuinty pulled a rabbit from somewhere and won another term — one seat shy of a majority. Give him full marks for persistence and, if you like, a razzberry for Hudak who blew it.

Although he won an election he was expected to lose, a win is still a win. But McGuinty, realizing that the province was a mess with massive unpleasantness to come, gathered his marbles and quit. Not only that, he prorogued the legislature indefinitely until a successor was chosen.

Even his admirers (there are some) were aghast at his chutzpah.

Now his successor — Kathleen Wynne — looks as if she intends to pursue the McGuinty doctrine, such as it is, which means continued support for windmills while concentrating on building more natural gas plants.

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The tale of Toronto Sun founding editor Peter Worthington’s role in the escape of his interpreter from the Soviet Union in the 1960s is the stuff of legend. However, Worthington wanted to wait until all the protagonists — including himself — were dead before he told the story in complete detail. So here, for the first time in publication, is Part 2